Made in Italy
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Il Chiostro
241 W. 97th St., 13N
NY, NY 10025
800-990-3506
fax: 858-712-3329
An
Artist's Retreat - Plein Air Painting
with Louise Bourne
May 24-31, 2008
Price: $1,695
Program Description:
Spend a week doing what you love to do.
This is more than a workshop, it's a creative working environment for artists. This is something unique: a special week of inspiration through which your creativity will flourish. Enjoy camaraderie and also grow as an artist through interaction with other serious artists. Create art in the spectacular setting of Italy. The retreat is also open to art enthusiasts who might like to try their hand at painting or artists from other genres who want to explore a new way of expressing themselves. Spouses and friends are also welcome to just relax and enjoy Tuscany while you create art. Come paint the countryside, the spring flowers, the poppy fields, stone houses and doorways. Enjoy the warmth of Tuscany, its food, wine and people. This retreat will be coordinated by fellow artist Louise Bourne.
Notes from Louise:
Tuscany offers the most delightful combinations of colored patterns to paint, what with the olive orchards, vineyards, cypress trees, and stone and stucco houses with tile roofs. Our view includes magical Siena in the distance! I spent three weeks in Tuscany while in graduate school, and am thrilled to be returning. The setting will truly be a retreat. We will paint and draw with portable materials: watercolors, colored pencils, oil pastels, water-color crayons, graphite, and anything people feel they can bring, even oils. I'd like this time to be just what you want: either actual instruction, or just a tip here and there. The afternoon, we will work on our own, with a critique at the end of the day. If you have a partner, spouse, or other (human) companion who would like to have a stay in this fabulous place, but not paint, that person is welcome.
Our residence includes a large studio. The incredible setting, accommodations and flavor of the retreat are described in the Setting and Accommodations section below. Il Chiostro and I were referred to each other by a friend who has gone on a number of their trips and loves them. I am very pleased by the warmth and competence of Linda Mironti, the founder and director. We will be in good hands.
Activities: We will be in an artistic setting experiencing the creative process, sharing ideas, motivated by the creative energy surrounding us. We will paint and draw with portable materials: watercolors, colored pencils, oil pastels, water-color crayons, graphite, and anything people feel they can bring. We will spend the morning working with guidance. The afternoon, we will work on our own, with a critique at the end of the day.
Our daily painting will be combined with other adventures such as:
- picnicking, walking through vineyards, orchards and villages
- visiting medieval Siena to paint, wander or shop
- tasting the wine that is growing all about us
- exploring other small hilltowns to paint or just relax at a cafe
Stay with the group or go off on your own. Our purpose is to paint, explore and enjoy the beauty of Italy. We'll use our authentic Tuscan farm-house as a home base, returning each evening for a home-made Tuscan meal and good company. We will hold friendly afternoon group discussions/critiques. We'll share our techniques, discoveries, views on painting and Italy. All media are welcome: oils, watercolor, acrylics, pastels even journal sketching and collage.
Limited to ten people, this is an intimate artistic experience like none you'll ever have.
Setting & Accommodations:
Click here for description & photos...
Price
and Registration: $1,695
p/p
($350 p/p supp. for ensuite
bathroom or single room-limited availability)
Includes:
- Shared double room in country villa
- Daily traditional breakfast and dinner, including wine
- Daily plein air excursions
- Excursion to Siena
- ½ day excursion to nearby hilltown (Monteriggioni, Radda, Volpaia…)
- Pick up from Florence train station at 3:30pm on arrival Saturday
- Transfer
to bus/train station in Siena on final day
Does Not Include:
- Airfare
- Lunch
- Art supplies
- Local bus transportation
- Independent meals and sight-seeing
Getting
There: Florence will be our meeting point on the first day
of the workshop. We will arrange for a van to pick up the group at the
train station at about 3:30 pm on Saturday afternoon. We recommend that
you fly into either Florence or Rome (Milan is a bit too far away).
Florence is closer but it doesn't have an intercontinental airport, so
there are no direct flights from the US. You would have to change planes
in a larger European city. From the Florence airport you will need to
take a shuttle bus into the center (20 minutes).
There are more scheduled flights from the US to Rome, many of them direct.
From Rome, you will need to take a train to Florence (about 2 1/2 hours).
Important! In making your return flight arrangements, if you are flying
home on Saturday after the workshop, try not to book a flight too early.
From our location it will take 1 ½ hours to get to the Florence
airport or 3 ½ hours to get to the Rome airport.
For suggestions about getting to Rome or Florence, accommodations or other
logistics, please consult our Travel
to Italy link. Renting a car from all the major rental
agencies is possible if you prefer to be more independent during the week.
To Register:
- Download Registration Form by clicking button at left
- Print, fill out and sign Registration Form
- Mail or fax it to Il Chiostro with a non-refundable deposit of $300 (address and fax number are on the Registration Form)
- You will receive a registration confirmation and subsequently, relevant information about your workshop, travel to Italy, arrivals, suggested supplies, etc.
- Or call us at 800-990-3506 to register by phone
The Chianti valley
from our windows
Painting among the poppies
Siena Laundry, oil on canvas by Val Carson
Painting en plein
air on the property, photo by Linda Mironti
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